she needs them more than she thinks

"CAN YOU STOP BEING SO LOUD?" whisper-yelled an embarrassed blonde, who held a short and stout white creature in her arms, holding it close. The creature had bland eyes and a golden horn-like nose that kind of looked like a carrot. The creature, named Plue, resembled a mini snowman, well, a shaking one. "You're disturbing the other people on board!" Lucy ducked away from the stares the group received from the other passengers.

The blonde was staring at a pink-haired boy sitting opposite her, his face green due to his motion sickness. Natsu groaned, feeling sick to his stomach. He resisted the urge to throw up all over the train, knowing that he would never hear the end of it. Erza, the redhead sitting beside the blonde, stood, swapping places with the blue-haired mage who sat beside Natsu. She punched him in the gut, allowing him to fall in her lap when he was rendered motionless.

None of the older mages from Fairy Tail even blinked. They were used to this happening.

Seeing her mate in pain would usually trouble her, but Natsu's motion sickness was too much to handle at times, even for her. So when Erza knocked him unconscious, Lucy sighed in relief, "Thank you."

Wendy sat beside her Exceed, Carla, giggling at the scene that unfolded before her. Even though she was a dragon slayer, Wendy didn't feel the effect of motion sickness as she was still too young, which she was very pleased about. The seven, including the two Exceeds, all sat on the train in peace, finding no need to start a conversation. Instead, they enjoyed the silence, using it as their time to collect their thoughts.

"So what is the job about?" Lucy asked as they walked through the town that requested them.

"I'm not entirely sure. The mayor said there was strange activity going on in an abandoned part of their town, and when they sent people to check it out, they never returned." Erza explained, glancing down at the paper in her hands. It was directions to the place that she mentioned.

"Sounds scary," mumbled Wendy as she hugged her Exceed closer to her. Natsu grinned, throwing an arm around the bluenette, noticing her deflated attitude.

"There's no need to worry, Wendy. We can do this. Together!" The grin on the older dragon slayer's face had Wendy become motivated to fight, to do this for her team. Being the youngest always had her feeling weak, but her guildmates were always quick to reassure her that she was far from it.

"Yes," she nodded, determination settling into her brown eyes, the same eyes that had witnessed many tragedies, romances and delight.

The team continued on in their journey, walking through the woods that sat hauntingly tall behind the town. Though the sunset was illuminating the horizon, the woodland pathway was still dark. The trees stood as if charcoal against the deep blue sky. The only flash of colour was the orange pouring across the skyline like molten lead from a furnace. Team Natsu, focused on only completing their jobs and returning home, walked, not looking at the beauty ahead, only at the rain-sodden path that was treacherous with slippery mud. The forest wasn't welcoming; the shadows clung to the trees and fogged the mages' visions. With his keen heightened senses, Natsu helped guide his guildmates through the forest, making sure they didn't get lost.

The team was all on high alert, taking notice of the powerful magical aura up ahead. It was something unfamiliar to them, something they had never felt in their entire life. Nothing they had encountered gave off this aura, and it both worried and frightened them, though they were more determined to defeat it. If the source of the magical energy were evil, they'd have to destroy it before it destroyed everything else.

A dark abandoned building pulled up in front of them, standing hauntingly tall over the trees. Though, due to both time and the forest, it no longer held the great power it once did. 

"This must have been a dark guild," remarked Erza, taking notice of the symbol proudly presented at the top of the building, though it was now faded and chipped, just like most of the building, which was a complete mess. The pungent scent of blood had the dragon slayers on high alert, their bodies tensing up. Natsu warned his fellow mages to watch out, telling them to keep their guards up. From outside, the boarded windows, the shabby wood panelling and the pealing door that was bolted with iron rods all looked scary and threatening enough to keep the limited number of villagers away. However, behind the menacing exterior, the innards were equally destroyed, if not worse off.

After removing the door, the Fairy Tail mages entered the building, aware of the magical power that resounded through the area. A frightened gasp left the younger girls' lips, their eyes growing wide at the sight of many dead bodies before them.

"What happened here?" questioned Erza, her wise eyes held a calm and reformed look. Seeing dead bodies was not an uncommon sight for her, so it didn't affect her as much as it did the others. Though, her eyes did widen when she saw the internal organs of a few people splattered against the wall. It was such a gory sight, one that had Lucy, Wendy and Gray feeling sick to their stomach. "A massacre?"

Natsu ripped off the wooden panels that were nailed to the windows, sighing in relief as the smell wafted out of the building. It was revolting, and as more light entered the room, the Fairy Tail mages could see that many had died. Their motionless bodies all laid like dolls over the floors, limbs either at awkward angles or scattered amongst the walls.

"This is absolutely revolting," gagged Lucy, holding her arm to her stomach as she averted her eyes, trying not to throw up her lunch. Gray was quick to move away from the blonde, not wanting his outfit, which he had thankfully not stripped on his way here, to get ruined. Natsu and Erza continued to investigate the place with the redhead undisturbed by the sight before her. The pink-haired mage's eyes widened, a sweet saccharine scent filling his nose. He glanced to Wendy, who had also caught the scent.

Realisation poured into them.

"Mate," they mumbled, taking the others by surprise.

"What?"

Natsu bolted off before he could answer Lucy. Wendy's eyes shone with happiness, a smile lighting up her face. "Our mate. Sh-She's here."

Upon realising where they currently stood, the mages all ran after Natsu, running up the stairs in hopes that their shared mate was still alive in this massacre.

Yes. You read correctly.

Shared mate.

It was not uncommon to the mages of Fairy Tail that they would share a mate. It was a feeling that had gotten a few years back. They just knew they were missing someone, another piece of their soul. Even though they found their mates, they knew something else was missing. And, now, they may have just discovered that missing piece.

Natsu clambered up the stairs, following the trail of the divine smell. It wasn't intoxicating like Lucy's; it didn't drive him wild with desire. This smell, it made him want to protect. It made him want to protect, care and love — which he would do forever. The pinkette came upon a door on the top floor, one that stood at the back. He walked to it, aware of the footsteps of his guildmates behind him.

"She's in there," Natsu said, nodding to the door.

"Could be a he," Happy pointed out, flying above them. They all rolled their eyes at the cat. The gender of their mate didn't matter to any of them right now, though, they were all secretly hoping for a female mate. Gray and Natsu weren't exactly gay. Nevertheless, if their mate were a male, they would be more than happy to be with him. He was, after all, made for them. On the other hand, Erza and Lucy were hardcore bisexuals. And though they would not admit it, they were getting sick of dick.

So you could imagine the happiness that blossomed inside of them once they opened the door and spotted a female sitting in the corner of the room, her legs pulled to her chest.

However, all that deflated when they saw her clearly.

"A child?"

The voice of an unfamiliar person had the young girl jerking in surprise, her gaze snapping upwards. She saw a group of people standing before her, light slowly flooding into the room. The child pressed herself against the corner, hoping the darkness would take her into its embrace and shield her from the strangers in front of her that were probably here to take her away, just like others before.

Lucy was the first to get over her shock, taking a step forward to console her, but the child whimpered, clutching her legs closer. The celestial mage froze when a bright flash of purple ignited from the girl, warning them not to come any closer. A shadow-like shield began to form around the child; it sought to protect her.

They could all feel the magic power that came off her. It was incredibly strong, holding the same aura they felt outside. Erza had a feeling that she must've been the cause of all the dead people outside; her power seemed to be protecting her at its own will.

The young girl felt the fear that wrapped itself around her heart begin to loosen when the unknown blonde smiled reassuringly. Lucy slowly fell to her knees, not wanting to spook the child.

"It's okay," she said, her voice soft and mellifluous, sending a wave of tranquillity to wash over the child. "We're not going to hurt you."

The child sat so still, unsure if Lucy was a friend or a foe. Long tangled hair stuck to her face, obscuring the layers of grime that were only broken by tear tracks. Her clothes were of the summertime that passed several weeks ago, and her cheekbones were more pronounced than they should ever be on one so young. A child of her age should be cherubic, but she was far from that. It was evident that she had suffered.

Her eyes told them everything.

The child's eyes were a unique shade, one that wasn't seen very much. They were a rare purple. It was like someone had somehow managed to trap a thousand volts of electricity inside her irises, and now they spun there, sparking angrily at their imprisonment, hovering somewhere between deep lavender and lilac. The owner of the eyes seemed to be able to harness their raw power at will, frying anyone she chose with a single glance. Electricity has always been dangerous, but she seemed a hundred times more deadly. However, those same power-filled eyes also told them that she was a survivor. 

Raw power only came after one had been destroyed and crushed by those stronger in strength but weaker in mind and soul. Those people usually ended up getting their asses kicked due to karma.

If only they knew she killed them, spilling their organs against the walls. 

"W-Who are you?" she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. She tightened her grip on her legs, fear tangling itself into her mind, readying the magic in her to attack if they made one move to provoke her.

Lucy's lips spread into a breathtaking smile, one that held a gentleness the child had never seen. Her eyes spoke of a beautiful soul and were filled with a kindness that seemed so innocent and genuine, so endless: as big as the sea. It calmed her, her power disappearing as a result. 

The child didn't know why, but something about them told her she would be okay and that she was going to be safe.

The child let her shield fall, and she simply stared as if she saw an angel.

"My name's Lucy," the blonde introduced, inching closer to the girl that began to relax, the bond between them beginning to form, although the child wouldn't feel it directly. She was still too young. "And these are my friends Natsu, Gray, Erza, Wendy, Happy and Carla." Lucy pointed out who was who, all of them wearing an amiable smile on their lips.

Wendy crouched down next to Lucy, noticing how the child was loosening her grip on her legs, her heartbeat slowly calming down. 

"What's your name?" she asked, causing a frown to appear on the child's expressionless face.

"I don't have one," she mumbled, looking down at her knees with a saddened expression. The people at the dark guild never gave her one, nor did her parents. Instead, they would tell her she had no need for one. She wasn't a person—just an experiment.

One that killed them all in the end.

"That's alright," grinned Natsu, taking a step forward. "We'll give you one!" The child's eyes widened, looking at the pink-haired male whose smile was brighter than anything she had ever seen. "How about Ellie?" Lucy shook her head, not really liking the name.

"Too overdone."

Natsu hummed, tapping his chin as he used what little brain cells he had to come up with a name for their little mate.

"Gertrude?"

The others cringed at the name, not liking how it sounded.

"Too old."

"Allison?"

The blonde turned to look at her mate, pursing her lips before shaking her head again. "Doesn't suit her."

"Pearl?"

"Meh."

"Cameron?" asked Happy, who amazed the child with his white wings attached to his back. She had never seen a cat, but she knew they didn't have wings, so seeing him fly around with a fish in his hands had her staring up in awe.

"Too boyish."

"Louis?" proposed Natsu, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Even worse."

"Louisa!"

Lucy growled out in anger, glaring at her useless pink-haired mate. "That was the same as the last one!"

"Cana!" Happy said, his eyes bright as he finally thought of a name that would go well. Lucy clenched her fists, irritation visible in her eyes.

"We already have a Cana at the guild!"

The child bit her lip, holding back her giggles as she watched the two mates argue over a name to pick for her. Wendy and Gray, who saw the small smile, couldn't help but feel warm inside. They were glad to see her happy; it satisfied their need to protect and care for her.

Erza stared at her mate with a fond expression, ignoring the bickering of the other three. "How about Amethyst?" she suggested, the others falling into silence, considering the name. "For your eyes," she explained, reaching over from her position in front of her and brushing her hair out of her face, watching as the girl flinched back at the sudden contact. Hurt filled her, clutching at her heart, but she understood. The girl had obviously been through a lot, and Erza knew what it felt like.

Their mate was a survivor.

"Amethyst," Lucy repeated, testing the name out. "I like it," she said, a smile spreading across her face.

"Amethyst Fairy," Natsu said, grinning widely, his dark green eyes mirroring his gleeful expression.

"Fairy?" questioned Wendy cutely, tilting her head to the side.

"Fairy. For Fairy Tail," Natsu clarified, proud of his accomplishment. The others nodded, all of them smiling when they realised that the name suited her, though the child in question was distracted by the name of a guild she had heard of while hers was alive — if you could even call it her guild.

Now named by her soulmates, the child looked up at them in shock, recognising the guild name. "You're in Fairy Tail?" They nod, smiling when they saw her eyes light up, a feeling of warmth blossoming in their chests. "Are you mages?" They nodded. Amethyst sighed in relief. "Could you help me? With my power," she clarified.

Radiant smiles broke out onto their faces as they caught at the hopeful gleam in her eyes.

"Of course we will."

From deep inside her chest, through every cell of her body, the warmth welcomed her like an old friend. But it was strange because Amethyst had never felt that way before. It kind of scared her. Feeling the cold slowly leaving her heart.

All her life, everything she once loved or cared about always fucked up and broke her, tearing apart her soul bit by bit. But as she stared up at the mages, at her saviours, she felt like everything in her little tiny universe was right for the first time.

She felt safe.